In reference to my last blog: as a nice wrap up of my weekend in Hanoi; following my confused airplane and hotel arrangement Friday, I arrived at the airport on Sunday evening to find my 9:20 pm flight had been cancelled due to bad weather. This was the last direct flight home. They bumped me to a later flight that had one stop. we landed at 12:50 am and I arrived at my apartment at 1:30 am Monday morning.
On to eternally important subjects. While in Hanoi I met a student from Laos studying in a Hanoi university, who came to faith through an expat English teacher last year. I congratulated him and rejoiced with him over his new life in Christ. He told me it will be difficult for him when he returns because he is from an important family and there are Buddhist priests among his extended family.
Today my Scripture reading was in Luke 15. I so enjoy the three "lost" stories that Jesus tells, don't you. There is so much joy and rejoicing in these stories. The Pharisees and religious teachers were so frustrated/angry that Jesus enjoyed and spent time with people who were "unclean". They were into religious purity and legalism. Jesus was into love and life change.
Do you remember the emphasis on joy in these three stories? The shepherd is joyful when he finds the lost sheep and tells his friends to rejoice with him. Jesus says there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people (Pharisees and teachers?).
The woman calls to friends and neighbours when she finds her lost coin, "Rejoice with me." Jesus again says "there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
Then of course the lost son returns from his rebellious sinful wanderings. His father says "Lets have a feast and celebrate (the Greek word could just as properly be translated "rejoice"). So they began to celebrate (rejoice).
The angry older son won't join the party. His father tries hard to explain why his brother's return is so important. And he says "But we had to celebrate (rejoice) and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."
Nine times Greek words for rejoicing are used. And the whole chapter is all about spiritually dead, spiritually lost people coming home to their Heavenly Father. Heaven rejoices when this happens on earth.
I often am close to tears of joy when I hear a story of another life changed by Christ. Those stories never grow old. And I count it one of life's greatest joys to be present when someone prays with heartfelt sincerity, asking for forgiveness and trusting in the great work of Christ. I don't know many things that bring greater joy than that - if we are in tune with Jesus and heaven.
Of course the "religious people" of Jesus day were not. So they missed the joy. And I know too many Christians who seem to focus all there attention and try to get all their joy from good but secondary things. If bringing lost people to their waiting Father is what causes joy in heaven for Jesus and angels, shouldn't it be more important to us? And when it happens, shouldn't it cause us to really celebrate?
On to eternally important subjects. While in Hanoi I met a student from Laos studying in a Hanoi university, who came to faith through an expat English teacher last year. I congratulated him and rejoiced with him over his new life in Christ. He told me it will be difficult for him when he returns because he is from an important family and there are Buddhist priests among his extended family.
Today my Scripture reading was in Luke 15. I so enjoy the three "lost" stories that Jesus tells, don't you. There is so much joy and rejoicing in these stories. The Pharisees and religious teachers were so frustrated/angry that Jesus enjoyed and spent time with people who were "unclean". They were into religious purity and legalism. Jesus was into love and life change.
Do you remember the emphasis on joy in these three stories? The shepherd is joyful when he finds the lost sheep and tells his friends to rejoice with him. Jesus says there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people (Pharisees and teachers?).
The woman calls to friends and neighbours when she finds her lost coin, "Rejoice with me." Jesus again says "there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
Then of course the lost son returns from his rebellious sinful wanderings. His father says "Lets have a feast and celebrate (the Greek word could just as properly be translated "rejoice"). So they began to celebrate (rejoice).
The angry older son won't join the party. His father tries hard to explain why his brother's return is so important. And he says "But we had to celebrate (rejoice) and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."
Nine times Greek words for rejoicing are used. And the whole chapter is all about spiritually dead, spiritually lost people coming home to their Heavenly Father. Heaven rejoices when this happens on earth.
I often am close to tears of joy when I hear a story of another life changed by Christ. Those stories never grow old. And I count it one of life's greatest joys to be present when someone prays with heartfelt sincerity, asking for forgiveness and trusting in the great work of Christ. I don't know many things that bring greater joy than that - if we are in tune with Jesus and heaven.
Of course the "religious people" of Jesus day were not. So they missed the joy. And I know too many Christians who seem to focus all there attention and try to get all their joy from good but secondary things. If bringing lost people to their waiting Father is what causes joy in heaven for Jesus and angels, shouldn't it be more important to us? And when it happens, shouldn't it cause us to really celebrate?
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